


A Black Secret

by BrianJustin4Ever



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2018-12-19 09:32:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11894904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrianJustin4Ever/pseuds/BrianJustin4Ever
Summary: Pure-blood Lucius Malfoy's Mistress is Muggle-born Narcissa Clearwater. He is forced to end the relationship, but then secrets are revealed.





	1. Chapter 1

Lucius straightened his robes as he waited for Narcissa to arrive. She was late, but that didn't surprise him. If it was one thing Narcissa was known for, it was her unpunctuality. Still, she never failed to show, even if it was an hour late.

Time passed.

Still, there was no Narcissa.

And when three hours passed, Lucius' shoulders slumped. It looked like there was a first time for everything.

It was the first time Narcissa failed to show for their designated rendezvous time.

X

The next night, when Lucius was reading in the library, Tippy the house elf popped into his sanctuary. "Master, Miss Clearwater is here."

Lucius' eyes narrowed in anger. She didn't show yesterday and didn't bother with a note to let him know she couldn't make it. And now she actually had the gall to show up without any notice today. When it wasn't even their day to meet.

He stood up.

"She better have a good explanation," he muttered.

He strode out of the library and went to the main room. Narcissa Clearwater stood near the fireplace, and he momentarily stopped, stunned by her beauty all over again. It was hard to believe such an angel could be a lowly Muggle-born, but he guessed beauty didn't understand the importance of pure blood.

He shook his thoughts out of the way. "You bellowed for me?" he sarcastically asked.

Narcissa turned away from the portrait of Armand Malfoy that she had been intently studying. "You're angry." It wasn't a question.

"Why should I be? It's not like I have anything better to do than wait around for you. I'm just a Pure-blood with important work in the Ministry. My time is of no value."

She sighed. "I apologize for yesterday, but my sister needed me."

He rolled his eyes. He would never understand the relationship between the girls. They were just so different, and yet, they were so close. Like best friends. "What could have been so important that you didn't come?"

"Penelope and the Weasley boy broke up. She was heartbroken."

"What do  _you_ know about being heartbroken?" Lucius asked with a sneer.

She narrowed her eyes, and it was the first sign of emotion he saw since they started this conversation. "I might have never experienced heartbreak, but when my sister needs me, I'll be there for her. You, being an only child, could never understand the power of the bond between siblings, but true sisters are always there for each other. No matter what."

"And you couldn't send an owl?"

Narcissa looked away. "You know Penelope doesn't approve of our arrangement. I didn't want to anger her when she was already so upset by stepping away to owl you."

"You expect me to just drop everything and act like yesterday didn't happen? You think I've been waiting around for you with open arms tonight, just hoping you'd show up?"

She looked at him again. Her blue eyes were cool and assessing as she stared him down. "Of course not, but I thought it was pertinent that I explain my absence to you, and I thought it would be better to do it in person. Less insult to the injury to your pride I've obviously afflicted."

The cutting remark was perfectly aimed, but Lucius didn't let it see how it affected him.

He wanted to walk away, let her leave and go back home. After all, there were hundreds of witches that would love to be in her position, would love to have him lather them with attention.

But despite everything—especially her dirty blood—she was still the one he wanted in his bed. Her beauty was unparalleled. Her intellect intrigued him. And he found himself wanting to learn more and more about her.

He quickly went to her and grabbed her wrist.

Ignoring her protest, he pulled until she fell against him. His lips descended and landed on hers with fierce intensity.

She moaned and threw her arms around his neck, pulling so their bodies were flushed against each other.

He easily picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to the couch, not wanting to bother trying to navigate in order to get to the bedroom. They fell against the soft cushions, and his lips left hers to nibble down her neck.

She keened and arched, pressing against him. He felt himself harden in his trousers as his hands palmed her perfect, pert breasts. He squeezed and rubbed them through her soft shirt, loving the noises he elicited within her.

"Lucius," she breathily moaned into his ear. He continued kissing her neck, and he felt her teeth gently bite his earlobe.

He growled and crashed his lips on to hers once again, grounding his still-covered erection against her body.

Her hand moved between their bodies and pressed against his hardness. She squeezed, and he tore his lips away. He needed  _more_! Much more!

He grabbed his wand and murmured a spell, making all of their clothes disappear.

She smirked. "In a bit of a hurry, aren't we?"

He didn't dignify that with a verbal response. He just went back to kissing her, and the only sounds that were heard in the room for the next couple of hours were groans, pleas for more, and screams of ecstasy.

X

Lucius didn't know what time it was when he woke up. He looked around and Narcissa was gone. It was another thing that shouldn't surprise him even if it never stopped disappointing him. After all, from the first time they had sex, Narcissa never stayed the night.

When Lucius confronted her about it after their third meeting and her third disappearing act, she just looked at him with her cool, confident gaze and answered, "Why should I when I'm nothing more than your mistress?"

And she was right. Although he wasn't married yet, she was no better than his mistress since he didn't acknowledge what they had in public. Still, it wouldn't hurt her to spend the night every once in a while, would it?

Lucius had just finished getting dressed when Abraxas Malfoy walked in with an air of smug confidence. "Lucius, we need to talk," he announced.

Lucius frowned, hearing his father's tone. And he knew he wasn't going to enjoy their talk very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said Narcissa Clearwater, and Penelope is her sister. That will be explained.
> 
> This should be updated once a week, for MC Mondays. Hopefully, I'll be able to stick it.
> 
> I don't know how many chapters this will be as I have no outline whatsoever, so you'll be as surprised as I am.


	2. Chapter 2

"What?" Lucius asked. He couldn't believe what he just heard, but at the same time, he knew it made sense. He had seen his father getting restless when it came to Lucius' fun, and it was only a matter of time before the man spoke about Lucius' behavior.

Abraxas Malfoy stared coldly at his son. "I know you've had fun with this girl you've been having dalliances with, but enough is enough! You're my heir; it's time for you to take your responsibility seriously."

Lucius looked away. "Fine. I need to get married and have a son. I understand my duty as the Malfoy heir, but why do I have to stop seeing Narcissa? Many Pure-blood wizards and witches have affairs due to arranged marriages. Narcissa and I already practice discretion, so nothing has to change."

Abraxas grabbed Lucius' shoulder in a harsh grip. "Some might do that, but there will be a fidelity clause in your contract. I was never in love with your mother, but I was always faithful to her because I respected her. You will follow in my footsteps and show your future wife the respect she deserves. Do I make myself clear?"

This was the first time he ever came close to feeling hatred for his father. The only time he felt somewhat normal was when he was with Narcissa, and Abraxas was asking him to give that feeling of normality up for a loveless marriage. Still, he knew the proper answer. In fact, there was only one answer that he could give, that Abraxas would accept.

He swallowed past the bile that rose up his throat. "Yes, Father, I'll do what you say."

"Good. Get started looking for a proper wife. I'll give you a year to make a choice. That's more than generous of me. If you don't find one within that time, I'll choose for you."

In a flurry of white-blond hair and fancy robes, Abraxas swept out of the room, leaving Lucius Malfoy torn about what to do next.

If Lucius thought Narcissa was in love with him, he might have fought to be allowed to make  _her_ his wife, despite her Muggle-born status. She was so remote, so aloof, though. At least when they weren't in bed together. There was no possible way she could possibly love him, and he wasn't going to fight his father when she didn't want him in a way that equal Lucius' desire.

So, he knew there was only one thing he could do.

First, he had to talk to Narcissa and end their affair.

Second, he had to put all of his energy to finding a suitable wife that he could be content with, and possibly even fall in love with.

Third, he needed to get married.

And fourth and lastly, he needed to have a son.

All in that order.

So, it was time to get done with the first order of business.

X

Penelope just stared at Narcissa.

Narcissa returned the Ravenclaw's long stare with own, albeit a little more worried looking stare.

Penelope shook her head disbelievingly. "How could you be so stupid?"

"I'm sorry I'm not a smart little Ravenclaw like you," Narcissa said bitterly.

"Stop it, Cissa," Penelope ordered. "You're not a stupid person, but sometimes you do stupid things."

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Narcissa whispered.

"I know. Didn't you use the right spells?"

"Of course, but they're like those Muggle devices. Not one hundred percent effective."

Penelope couldn't imagine being in her older sister's position. Then again, she didn't think she would ever get caught in a situation where she continuously had casual sex with a man she wasn't even in an public relationship with. Still, she was trying to not be judgmental because that was the last thing Narcissa needed.

Narcissa needed understanding. She needed advice. She needed to be told that everything would be okay.

"Cissa, you'll be okay, but before you make any decisions about what to do next, you need to talk to Lucius. He has the right to know that he'll be a father in seven months."

Narcissa nodded, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

Penelope looked away from the trouble look on Narcissa's face. She didn't want to say it out loud, not wanting to worry Narcissa even more, but Penelope had a good idea that the news wouldn't be well received by Lucius. Even if the aristocrat had  _some_ soft feelings for Narcissa, he wouldn't be happy about the pregnancy. Not when the child would be an illegitimate Half-blood. In a Malfoy's eyes, the only thing worse than that was having a squib for a child.

X

Lucius waited for Narcissa to arrive. And this week, she arrived promptly when she said she would be there.

Narcissa seemed uncertain, and that wasn't something he was used to seeing, but he shrugged it off. Whatever was bothering her wasn't his problem.

He had something he had to do tonight.

He took a moment to admire the way the robe fit her slim body, and the urge to touch her rose up within him.

Maybe they could have one more night before he told her the change of plans.

Narcissa opened her mouth, but Lucius didn't let her utter a single world. Instead, he strode to her and took her in a hungry kiss, devouring her sweetness. She keened in the back of her throat, and pressed her body against his.

Lucius touched her through her robes, and they somehow made their way to the bedroom.

They fell on top of the bed in a tangle of limbs. When they came together, it was fast and heated, fueled by desperate need and the fact that they both knew something was about to change.

Afterwards, Lucius stopped her when she got up to get dressed and leave. "We need to talk."

"I know. Let me just get dressed. There's something I need to tell you."

Lucius sat up as well, and pulled on his sleep pants. "There's something I need to tell you as well."

Narcissa pulled on her robe and made sure she was covered. "Okay. You go first."

Lucius took a deep breath. "Okay, this isn't easy to say, but it needs to be said. Narcissa, what we have, it's over."

"What? Why?"

"My father told me it's time to get married and have a child. And he's right. It's time that I do my duty, and I will be faithful to whoever I marry. So you and I can't continue like this."

Narcissa didn't give away any of what she was feeling. "I understand. I should go."

"Wait, Narcissa, what did you want to talk about?"

She was silent for a moment before she answered, "It doesn't matter." And just like that, she was gone. From his bedroom, from Malfoy Manor, and from his life.

He narrowed his gaze. He thought she'd give at least a little more of a fight, but what did he expect? This had only been a way to have fun for her. Did he honestly expect her to care about his ending the relationship to get married to someone else? If he did, Lucius really  _was_  a fool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One bad thing about not having a outline is I've kind of screwed up the ages a bit because I hadn't completely thought everything out.
> 
> So, in order for this to work, Lucius and Narcissa were born much later. Penelope is sixteen, and Narcissa and Lucius are both twenty-four. And the other prevalent characters that are Narcissa and Lucius' age will also be younger for there to be the same age gaps.
> 
> I guess I can make anything true because this is an AU anyways. Abraxas is still alive and there isn't a Voldemort after all.
> 
> Also, most of the story will be from Lucius' POV, but there are some sections that will be from the POV of other people. Hopefully, those sections will be clear enough for you to all not get too confused.
> 
> I hope you continue enjoying my first Lucissa MC.


	3. Chapter 3

Penelope looked in on her sister in the small bedroom. She had been quiet when she came back from Malfoy Manor. She didn't say anything about her encounter with Lucius, and that was worrisome all by itself.

Narcissa was reading in her bed, flipping a page slowly as her eyes moved over the words.

"Cissa?"

She didn't answer.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Still, she was silent.

Penelope stepped into the room. "Did Malfoy not take the news of his pending fatherhood well?"

She swore she could hear crickets with the silence.

"I can hex him if it would make you feel better?" she weakly joked, hoping to see  _some_ kind of reaction.

Narcissa finally put the book on the side table and looked up at her. "There's no need for that, Penny."

"If he said something about his child not being his, Malfoy deserves to be hexed." And Penelope would do it. Narcissa might not feel like fighting for her own honor, but Penelope had no problem doing it.

"He didn't say anything like that because I didn't tell him about the baby."

"You chickened out?" Penelope asked, aghast.

"I didn't chicken out. Before I could tell him, he ended our affair."

Penelope moved into the room and sat on the bed. "Why?"

"Isn't the reason obvious? His father wants him to find a wife and have a child so there will be a Malfoy heir, and I'm not a suitable match. Either to be his wife or be the mother of his children."

Narcissa's eyes were so frosty that Penelope had to fight an involuntary shiver.

"Wait a minute. Did he say you weren't a suitable match, or is that just what you believe?"

Narcissa glared at the Ravenclaw. "Instead of asking me to be his wife, he ended the relationship."

"Relationship?" Penelope scoffed. "I thought it was just an affair. That's what you constantly refer to it as. I might not be Malfoy's biggest fan, but I bet he has no idea that you'd be interested in more than just a simple affair."

"How can he not know?" Narcissa asked, her hands clenched into fists on her lap.

Finally there was a spark of emotion.

"Did you ever tell him?" Penelope retorted. "He's a man, and they're not always that smart when it comes to matters of the heart, and despite what you might want, he's not a mind reader. If you don't tell him what you feel, how can he know? It's called opening your mouth if you want something"

"It doesn't matter," Narcissa whispered, her eyes downcast.

"Of course it matters. He's the father of your baby."

"He doesn't know about that, and I'm not going to tell him."

Penelope's breath picked up. "He has a right to know. You can't keep it from him. That's not fair."

Narcissa stood up. "Now you're defending him? You've been doing everything you could to get me to stop having sex with him. And now you're telling me I'm wrong in cutting all of my ties to him off."

Penelope shook her head. "I can't believe it either, but it's wrong to keep the truth from him. It's not fair. He has a right to be a father."

"He doesn't want to be the father of my baby."

"You don't know that!" she exploded. "You can't just make assumptions because you're afraid of how he'll react. And don't deny it. You're afraid."

Narcissa glared. "I'm not going to tell him and neither are you. It's  _my_ business what I do, and you'll stay out of it. Or else," she threatened and then stomped out of the room.

Penelope was left alone, and she wondered what she could do to make Narcissa see reason.

X

Lucius looked over a list of possible woman that were eager to become the next Mrs. Malfoy. Most of them were from respected Pure-blood families. There were a couple of Half-bloods, but those were the witches that excelled n some way and were noted for their excellence in their chosen profession.

He sighed. He knew he had to do this, but his heart just wasn't invested in it.

An image of Narcissa's beautiful face flashed through his mind.

_I wonder what she's doing._

He knew that thought was dangerous. He couldn't wonder about her because he had his future and the future of the Malfoy name to think about. Still, he wondered if she already had someone new in her bed.

The thought hurt a lot more than it should, but he couldn't help the jealous twinge in the pit of his stomach at the very thought of another man touching her, another man making her scream and moan in pleasure. He didn't want her moving on from him, and especially not so quickly.

He knew it might be hypocritical because he was looking for a new wife, but it wasn't like he was doing it by choice. If Narcissa  _chose_ to move on...

Lucius couldn't even complete the thought in his head. He didn't know what he would do if that was the case.

He looked back down at the long list of names and one caught his attention.

Josephine Greengrass.

He vaguely remembered her from school. She was from a good family, had two younger cousins who currently attended Hogwarts: Daphne and Astoria. She was pretty and smart. She was also ambitious, determined to succeed on her own merits and not just your family's power.

It was one of her most admirable traits if Lucius remembered correctly.

She definitely had the potential to be a good Mrs. Malfoy. It was something to think about.

He forcibly pushed thoughts of Narcissa out of his mind, and instead, he did his best to think about what it would be like to be married to Josephine.

It wasn't easy to imagine anyone else but Narcissa carrying his last name, but at least he was trying.

It was a start.

Only a start.

But a start was better than nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

When Narcissa told her parents she was expecting, she thought they might faint. "Mum? Dad?"

Edward and Danielle Clearwater shared a look. Danielle took her daughter's hand. "Honey, I know you've had a type of relationship with Lucius Malfoy."

"Not really a relationship, Mum."

Danielle winced. "I know, Sweetie, but parents don't like to think about their daughter having an affair built entirely around sex."

"It's unsettling," Edward cut in seriously.

"I know."

Edward decided to just find out what both he and Danielle wanted to know. "Does Lucius know about the baby? And is he going to do right by you?" Under his breath, he added in a mutter, "He better do right."

Narcissa looked away. "Mum, Dad, Lucius ended our affair in order to settle down with a Pure-blood wife and have a Pure-blood heir."

"That son of a bitch!" Danielle screamed, uncaring of her crude language. Although it was a Muggle phrase, the whole family knew what it meant due to Danielle's Muggle-born parents.

"I'll kill him," Edward threatened as he too stood up.

Narcissa stood as well. "You can't. He ended the relationship before I told him I was pregnant." She had already gone over this with Penelope and it was exhausting to do it again, but her parents needed to know. "And I'm not planning to tell him? He'd never accept this child as his with my being a Half-blood."

Edward and Danielle looked at each other again.

"What's with the look?" Narcissa demanded. "You've done it more than once since the start of this conversation, and I want to know what it means!" She was close to stamping her foot. She was tired, and angry, and hurt. And she hated feeling all of these emotions. It was all Lucius' fault! Curse him, and curse his evil seed!

Edward took Danielle's hand. "I think it's time she knows the truth."

"Truth? What truth?" Narcissa whispered.

"Oh, Ed, are you sure?"

"She  _needs_ to know. She has the right to know. There's no more hiding it."

Narcissa didn't know how she knew, but she knew whatever her parents were about to tell her was going to be life-changing.

X

Lucius sat across from Josephine in a quiet restaurant. He tried to pay attention to what she was saying, but it was hard.

Here was this gorgeous woman, a witch of outstanding breeding, and all he could think about was Narcissa, a Half-blood, one that could never be the kind of woman that should be associated with the Malfoy name.

Lucius tried to command his body to react to Josephine's mere presence, like it always did with Narcissa, but nothing was happening down there. His body had a mind of its own, and it decided that Josephine just wouldn't do.

"Is there something wrong, Luc?"

Lucius cringed internally at the nickname that spoke of familiarity that Josephine and he didn't possess, but he kept his face impassive. His displeasure with the woman grew as she took such liberties. Even Narcissa, who didn't know how Pure-blood politics worked, would never talk to someone with such boldness if they only just formally met.

And there he went again—comparing Josephine to Narcissa, and finding Narcissa far superior in almost every way. The only thing Josephine had over Narcissa was the fact she had two Pure-blood parents.

"I think we should call it a day," Lucius finally managed to say.

Josephine fluttered her eyelashes. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you wanted to get away from me. That  _can't_ be true, right?"

Lucius fought his automatic grimace once again. "Of course that's not true. But I have work I must attend to," he lied.

Josephine stood up and Lucius followed suit. She walked around the table and laid a hand on his arm. She looked up at him, waiting for a kiss or some kind of acknowledgement.

Lucius couldn't do that, though. The act would have felt wrong. He took her hand and bowed his head slightly. "Good day," he murmured, ignoring the look of disappointment that flashed across her features. Then he strode out of the restaurant as quickly as he could. He almost bumped into a man just outside of the doors. "Excuse me," he gruffly muttered, but before he could walk around the man, his arm was grabbed in a tight hold.

Lucius took out his wand and aimed it at the man.

"You shouldn't aim your wand at the father of a woman you've had many relations with," the man, Edward Clearwater that Lucius now recognized, warned.

Lucius pocketed his wand. "Pardon me, but I'm usually not grabbed out of nowhere, and I don't like it."

"I saw you in there with the Greengrass girl. You move on fast, don't you?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but my father expects me to marry within a year. If I don't find someone, he's going to pick for me."

"And of course Narcissa would never be deemed as good enough, would she?"

"What happened between Narcissa and I is our business. It has nothing to do with you." He knew that was a dangerous statement to say to a protective father, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

He was being blamed for something that wasn't really his fault. If Narcissa had given him any indication that she wanted something more serious, he would have tried fighting his father on it. But every time, he tried to talk about their relationship, Narcissa always shut him down. Why should he argue with his father if it wasn't something Narcissa wanted anyways?

"It is when my daughter is hurting."

"The only thing that  _might_ be hurt is her pride. Narcissa doesn't love me, and I know she has no desire to be my wife."

"Do you actually believe that?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

Edward looked to the side. "Listen, there's something I need to tell you. Actually, there's more than one thing you should know, but one thing is standing out in my mind. Hopefully, Narcissa will choose to tell the other thing."

Lucius had no patience for rambling. "So, what is it?"

Edward stared him straight in the eye. "Narcissa is pregnant, and you're the father."


	5. Chapter 5

Lucius sat alone in the library. He looked around at the cases of books and remembered happier times. He remembered how he sat on this very chair and Narcissa straddled him, grinding down on him as they kissed. He remembered how he pushed her against a book shelve and took her from behind, savoring her cries of passion as she begged for 'more' and 'harder.' He remembered how they fell onto the floor, unable and unwilling to make it to his bedroom or even the couch, and their passion rose to its height, their moans mingling as they stared into each other's eyes, lost in the moment.

He remembered all of this, but one thought kept interrupting his fantasies.

 _Narcissa is pregnant_.

He knew he could have accused Edward Clearwater of lying, but why would he? He had never been Lucius' biggest fan and he always made his disgust of the relationship between his daughter and Lucius known. If anything, Edward wouldn't want to tie Narcissa to Lucius so permanently, so it had to be the truth, at least as far as  _he_ knew.

Narcissa could have lied, but again, what would be the point? If she wanted money, she would have told him about the pregnancy to force his hand. Instead, she kept silent.

He thought about their last night together. She had wanted to tell him something, and that was probably it, but when he ended their relationship, she kept quiet.

And now...

And now he was going to be a father. He needed to talk to her. She had to know he wanted to be a part of his son or daughter's life, even if he couldn't be with the mother.

Lucius swallowed. Or could he? He wanted to be with her. He didn't fight his father because he didn't think she cared about him. The way Edward talked, though...

It sounded like she had been hurt by his dismissal. Why didn't she speak up? If she only told him she had feelings for him...

Why didn't  _he_  speak up?

It seemed their problems all extend from a lack of communication.

There was only one thing he could do. He'd go to Narcissa and talk to her. They'd find a way to work this out. And after that, he'd talk to Abraxas. He was going to be with the mother of his child and nothing his father said or did would stop him.

Narcissa might be a Half-blood, but she was also the mother of his child. And she was the only one he felt like he could be himself with.

Narcissa might enjoy his company in bed, but she wasn't afraid to tell him when he was wrong. And she didn't try to gain his favor by being phony or too complimentary. It might be odd to enjoy someone so argumentative, but he liked her because she was honest ( _usually_ ) and she gave him a hard time. It made the relationship interesting.

And he wanted to be with her. She was far above any woman he had ever met, even all of the Pure-bloods he knew.

He never cared about her blood status because he cared about her. But until now, he had no reason to fight for her. Now he did, and he was going to fight.

If Narcissa was agreeable to it, he planned to make her his wife.

X

Penelope felt their wards react to someone approaching the house. She walked to the front door, opened it, and stepped outside.

"Well, well, look who's trying to grace my humble abode. The mighty Lucius Malfoy."

Lucius glared at her. "I don't have time for you. I need to speak to your sister."

"Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you."

"I don't care."

"Of course you don't. What someone else wants doesn't matter to you, right?"

Lucius rolled his eyes. It was such a normal reaction that it momentarily startled her.

"Clearwater, I know Narcissa is pregnant. I have the right to talk to her.  _She_  was the one in the wrong. She had no right to not tell me."

It displeased her that she couldn't disagree with him. After all, even she told Narcissa that Lucius should be told, that it wasn't fair to keep him in the dark about the baby. She hated agreeing with Lucius Malfoy about anything, though. So, instead, she said, "It's a mother's prerogative to protect her child."

"I'd  _never_  hurt my child," Lucius said in a low voice. "Let me talk to Narcissa so we can straighten everything out. She can't be happy with the way things stand now. Let me talk to her, and maybe we can both finally be happy."

He really had an ego on him if he thought a simple talk with him and Narcissa would be giddy as could be. Still, maybe if they talked, things would be resolved. "Fine. Come in."

He followed Penelope as she walked though the house. He wrinkled his nose at some of the decor, but she decided to not comment on his haughty attitude. He did win one point in his favor. He found out Narcissa was pregnant, and wasn't running away. Instead, he was facing it head on and trying to talk to her sometimes thick-headed older sister.

They arrived at Narcissa's room and knocked.

There was no answer.

Penelope frowned. Was Narcissa taking a nap? She knocked again. "Cissa, can I come in?"

There was still no answer.

She shared a look with Lucius.

"Open it," he ordered.

Narcissa had a thing about her privacy, and usually, Penelope respected it, but it wasn't like Narcissa to ignore Penelope. And she purposely made sure to not say Lucius was here.

Disparate times called for desperate measures.

"I'm sorry I'm doing this Narcissa, but when you don't answer..." She trailed off because she opened the door and the room was empty.

Lucius strode in and looked around as if Narcissa was simply hiding and not absent. "Where is she?" he asked, turning to face Penelope with something in his eyes.

Was it worry? Fear? It was hard to tell.

Penelope said the only thing she could think of. "I don't know."


	6. Chapter 6

Lucius paced around the bedroom. "So, are you honestly saying you have no idea where your big sister is? Your  _pregnant_ big sister?"

Penelope silently shook her head.

Lucius stopped his nervous walking and stared at her with shrewd eyes. "Are you lying to me?"

"No. Do you honestly think I'd lie to you when she's pregnant? I was pushing her to talk to you. Why would I advocate her running away?"

He sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry I accused you of doing something so idiotic."

"Did it physically hurt you to apologize to a mere Half-blood?" Penelope asked sarcastically.

"I can admit when I'm in the wrong." Softer, he asked, "Where is she?"

Penelope tilted her head. "You're actually worried about her, aren't you?"

"Of course I am."

"Is it just because it's your child that she's carrying, or is it also because she's Narcissa?"

Lucius thought about whether he should be honest, but at this point, what did he have to lose? And maybe Penelope would be more willing to help him if she knew the depth of his feelings. "I care about Narcissa. I care about Narcissa in a way I've never cared about another woman. Now, are you going to help me find her or not?"

Penelope nodded. She took something out of her pocket. "Here."

Lucius looked down and recognized the neat script. "I thought you said you didn't know anything about Narcissa."

"I  _said_ I didn't know where she was. And that's true. She didn't leave a location. I wasn't going to even give you the letter unless I thought you sincerely wanted what was best for her. So, you passed the test. Congratulations. Now read the letter and find my sister and soon to be born niece or nephew."

He glared at her before he turned his attention to the letter.

_Dear Penny,_

_I know you must be scared. I never meant to frighten you this way. It's just... I didn't know what else to do._

_Mom and Dad told me something, something that could change everything._

_And I need to find out if it's the truth. Although they have no reason to make up such a story..._

_I don't know what I'm going to do afterwards, but I don't think I'm coming back anytime soon._

_Lucius has already began searching for his future wife, and I don't think I can stay and watch as he pledges his life to someone else, someone who can't possibly feel about him the way I do._

_It hurts._

_I wish I had the courage to tell him how I feel, but I don't. I guess I truly am just a coward._

_I'm sorry that I'm leaving you without a proper goodbye. And I'm sorry, but I don't know when I'm going to contact you again._

_I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me._

_And take care of our parents for me. Tell them it isn't their fault. Tell them I love them, and I know they love me. Tell them I'm sorry that instead of facing this head on, I ran away._

_I love you always._

_Narcissa_

"What did she find out?" Lucius asked.

"I don't know. She never told me and our parents haven't told me either."

He sighed. "I guess I'm going to be having another  _pleasant_ conversation Edward then."

X

"What did you tell her?" Lucius asked as soon as he entered Edward's office without knocking.

"Do you have an appointment, Mr. Malfoy?" Edward asked, his tone as dispassionate as his spine was stiff.

"I don't have time for this. What did you tell Narcissa? Because whatever it is will provide the clue about where she ran off to. And I know you must want to find her as much as I do."

"Of course I do, but I don't think I have the right to tell you without her permission.'

"This is your oldest daughter. How can I find her if I don't know what she knows? She left to find out the truth. You can see how the two things are connected, right?"

Edward sighed. "You care about my daughter?"

He looked up towards the ceiling. "Again, I'm being asked about my feelings. First Penelope, and now you. I really was hoping to say it for the first time to Narcissa, and I managed to say it without saying the actual words when I talked to Penelope, but if it will get you to tell me..." He looked Edward Clearwater in the eyes. "I love Narcissa Clearwater. Okay. I loved her before the baby. I still love her. And I want nothing more than for us to be a family. I will have to fight my father for it, but now that I know she cares for me, I'll happily fight him. Okay. Now, tell me what I need to know so I can find her. Please!"

Edward smiled.

Lucius was taken aback. He had never seen the man smile, and it made him look ten years younger. Still, that didn't distract him from the situation at hand. "So, are you going to tell me what I need to know? Or are you going to continue playing games?"

"Okay. I had to make sure your feelings were genuine before you knew the truth. Knowing they are will make Narcissa feel better as well."

Lucius impatiently gestured. "And?"

"Narcissa isn't a Clearwater by blood. We adopted her when she wasn't even two."

Lucius swallowed. Some of the letter Narcissa wrote to Penelope made sense now. "Okay. That's big news, but—"

"It gets bigger. Her biological parents are Druella and Cygnus Black."

Lucius blinked. "That would make Andromeda and Bellatrix her sisters."

"Exactly."

"Why would they give her up? Pure-bloods, and especially Blacks, don't believe in adoption."

Edward sighed. "I don't know. I've never understand that myself. But when I saw that little baby—even then, she was beautiful—and we couldn't walk away from her. We didn't have Penelope yet, but we were having trouble conceiving, and we thought we might not be able to have a biological baby, so we took her without much thought. We knew we could love her. And we wanted to love her."

"So, she went to see Druella and Cygnus." He turned to leave, but Edward's voice momentarily halted him.

"Tell Narcissa we love her, and we want her to come home to us."

"She already knows you love her, but I'll tell her the second part," Lucius promised. And he left. He was on a mission, and he would find his future wife if it was the last thing he did.


	7. Chapter 7

Lucius stepped onto the property and waited. A House-elf popped up in front of him. "Tell Mr. and Mrs. Black that Lucius Malfoy is here, and he needs to speak to them. Also, tell them it's urgent."

"Mipsy will get on it now."

He was left alone and impatiently waited for the couple to make their appearance. He knew they were making him wait longer than was strictly necessary to show him they were in charge, but he didn't have time for power plays.

When they finally arrived, they showed nothing but regality in their movements, "I understand your father wishes you to finally marry, so I assume you came to speak about marrying one of our daughters," Cygnus began.

He was half right of course, but he had no idea which daughter Lucius wanted. The blond aristocrat answered, "I need to find Narcissa, and I know she came to see you."

"Why would you care about her?" Cygnus suspiciously asked.

"Just tell me where she is."

"Why would she come see us?" Druella asked, doing her best to sound clueless.

If Lucius wasn't a Pure-blood, he would have rolled his eyes. "Because she's the daughter you gave away, and she was just told the truth about her parents. Now, she came here. Do you know where she went afterward?"

Cygnus glared at him. "No, we don't. Now get off of our property or I'll fire-call the Aurors to have you forcibly removed."

"With pleasure," Lucius grumbled before he strode away.

He went to a restaurant where he could gather his thoughts. As he sat with a stew that was quickly getting cold, he thought hard about the puzzle.

_'Narcissa is running away because she thinks I don't want her. She's pregnant with our child and doesn't want me to know. She found out her parents aren't her actual parents and most likely had a bad meeting with her biological parents. Where would she go?'_

He thought about everything he knew about her. He knew she loved Arithmancy and Transfiguration. He knew she loved Penelope, but he also knew Penelope had no idea where Narcissa was going.

He blinked. Maybe she did know without realizing.

She told Penelope everything. It was possible she knew Narcissa's next destination.

He stood up and quickly paid for his untouched meal. He had to go back to the Clearwater house.

X

Lucius opened his mouth when the door opened, but before he could get a word in edgewise, Penelope asked, "How could you not have found her yet?"

He glared at the girl. "I'm doing my best. I followed a lead your father had, but she was already gone. I need to ask you if you know where she is."

"I already told you that I don't."

"Maybe you don't realize you know."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "I think I would know whether I know her not."

He shook his head. "Has Narcissa ever talked about wanting to go somewhere? Maybe on vacation or even moving there one day."

Penelope looked at her feet, and when she looked up, her eyes were wide. "She's talked about France before. When she met some students from Beauxbatons, she told me they talked about their home and it sounded beautiful and majestic, and she would love to one day see it for herself."

"That's a start. Do you know the friends' names?"

"Giselle and Baxton Duvra. Brother and sister."

X

"Narcissa isn't here," Giselle answered after Lucius knocked on the door, and it swung open.

"How did you know that was why I was here," he asked.

"She  _was_ here, but she isn't anymore."

Lucius studied her, looking for a trace of deception, but her face didn't show anything. "I'm trying to find her. It's important. Please," he begged.

"From what Narcissa said, you're not one to say 'please' and 'thank you.'"

"That should show you how desperate I am to find her. I know she's pregnant, and I know she's dealing with a big truth she never even imagined she'd have to deal with, and all I want to do is to find her."

"So what? So you can take  _her_ baby away. I know how the British Wizarding world works. Half-bloods have little rights if the person on the other side is a Pure-blood."

"I don't want to take the baby away. I want us to be a family. I care about her. I knew that before I found out about the baby, but finding out she's pregnant makes me want to be a family with her even more. I'm not lying, and I'm not planning to hurt. I just want her."

Giselle is silent for a moment, but she eventually said, "Narcissa is still in France. She's not here right now, but she's living with my brother. I know she's out looking for a job at this very moment. She's hoping to train under one of the teachers at the school while she works on a Mastery, and then she can become a full-fledged teacher."

Lucius swallowed. "She's living with your  _brother._ "

Giselle slowly nodded, but then she must have realized how that sounded to someone not in the know because she quickly shook her head. "Oh, no. It's not like that. If anything, Baxton is like the brother she never had. And even if Narcissa had interest in him—which she doesn't—Baxton would never look at her in such a way."

He felt offended on Narcissa's behalf. He knew it was ludicrous to be upset about another man not seeing Narcissa as a viable prospect, but he couldn't help it. "Is your brother blind? Is he stupid? Does he not see how beautiful she is?"

Giselle looked like she was doing her best to not laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. "No, my brother is not blind or stupid, but he is gay. And he's had the same boyfriend for nearly a year. Hence the reason he'd never be interested in her."

Lucius flushed. "Oh. That's a good reason."

Giselle nodded. "I think it's kind of cute that you think there isn't any man in his right mind that couldn't be interested in Narcissa. It's sweet, too."

"I'm not sweet or cute," Lucius muttered.

Giselle finally allowed herself laugh. "You kind of are. So, now that you know Baxter isn't a threat to your romantic intentions, do you want his address?"

"Really? You'll give it to me? Just like that?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love Narcissa to stay in France and live near me. But her place is with you, and since I'm certain you're being honest about your feelings, I see no reason why I shouldn't help you. So, do you want the address or not?"

He smiled. "Address please."


	8. Chapter 8

Narcissa sat with Baxton in the courtyard, watching the people go about their lives.

"Do you want to talk?" he asked.

She focused on one group in particular: a woman, man, and a little boy in a pram. They looked like a picture-perfect family.

"Narcissa, if you want to talk, I am here for you."

She shook herself out of a daydream about what it would be like if that family represented her, Lucius, and their unborn child. She glanced at Baxton before her gaze was drawn to the family once again. "There's nothing to talk about," she murmured.

"You're hurting. You obviously miss this Malfoy. Although if he treated you so cruelly, I don't understand why you're so attracted to him."

She grew angry like she always did whenever Lucius was badmouthed. She used to yell at Penny, and even if Baxton was a good friend, she wouldn't let him get away with his harsh words. "Lucius didn't treat me cruelly."

"You said he used you for sex."

Her eyes were glacial when she looked at him. "We never talked about having a proper relationship. I can't know how he would have reacted if I brought it up."

Baxton smirked. "Exactly. So why are you punishing him by keeping the baby a secret?"

Narcissa averted her gaze. She had walked right into his trap, and she knew it. "It's not meant to be a punishment. Lucius' father would never recognize a Half-blood as his grandson or the Heir to the Malfoy line. All it would do was cause tension between father and son if Lucius wanted this baby to be known. I'm trying to—"

"Stop lying to yourself," Baxton interrupted.

"I'm not lying," she insisted.

"You're pretending that the deception is all about you being altruistic, and maybe it's partly to protect Lucius from his father's wrath. But the main reason is you're scared. You're scared he'll reject you, so you decided to not give him the chance. It's wrong, though. He has the right to know he's going to be a father in about seven months."

"Penelope said the same thing, and she hated my relationship with Lucius."

"You should listen to your sister more often; she's obviously a very smart girl."

Narcissa swallowed nervously. "He broke off our arrangement to find a Pure-blood wife. Who's to say he even wants me?"

"You never gave him the chance to show you his feelings in regards to you. I know you, Narcissa. You maintain a cold distance to keep from getting hurt. And I'm sure all Lucius saw was a cold woman who enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh with him. He probably had no idea you were interested in more."

Normally, she'd make a joke about the phrase 'the pleasures of the flesh,' but she let it go this time. "His father believes in pure blood." It didn't matter that in reality, she was a Pure-blood. She wanted him to choose her for her, not because her blood status suddenly made her eligible."

"Just because his father does, it doesn't mean  _he_ does. You need to give him a chance to prove you wrong."

Narcissa clenched one hand into a fist as the other one came to rest on top of her stomach. There wasn't a baby bump yet, but she liked touching it, knowing there was life within her. "And what if he proves me right?"

"Then I'll  _happily_ hex him."

Narcissa finally smiled. "I'm not sure what I'd do without you, Baxton."

"Come on. Let's go back to the chateau so we can arrange for you to get back home. You have a Malfoy to speak with."

They strolled along the walkways. Narcissa followed Baxton through the maze of streets. She recognized the grouping of chateaus they entered and saw Baxton's at the very end of the street. Soon, she'd be back on British soil.

As they grew closer, Narcissa saw a lone figure standing outside. At first, she thought it might be Giselle, but that didn't make sense. If Giselle had come by to see them, she'd be waiting inside. That, and when they got closer, she noticed the figure was obviously masculine.

They kept walking, but Narcissa stumbled to a stop when she realized who it was. "Lucius?"

Baxton tilted his head, taking in the tall blond. "So, this is Lucius Malfoy. I can definitely see the physical appeal." He licked his lips, his eyes appreciatively roaming over Lucius' physique.

Narcissa slapped him on the arm. "Eyes to yourself."

Baxton grinned cheekily. "I can't help but look at a handsome man. But my promise still stands. If he hurts you, I  _will_  hex him, as I continue to enjoy feasting my eyes on his body of course."

She ignored his banter as she walked closer to Lucius. When they were in talking distance, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

He arched his eyebrows. "You are not an easy woman to find and after finally being able to track you down, all you can say is 'what are you doing here?'"

She shrugged. "I'm surprised. Can you blame me?"

"We need to talk."

Narcissa took a stumbling step back, but Baxton's hand on her shoulder stopped her in her steps. "No more running, Narcissa."

She glared at her friend before she faced Lucius again. "I was actually on my way back home. To talk to you."

He didn't look convinced. "Considering you looked like you were about to flee, I find it hard to believe you would have actually made it to me in order to have a conversation."

She looked down. "I would have talked to you."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

She closed her eyes. "Both, I guess."

Baxton stepped in between them. "You can use my home. I have a guest bedroom that will be perfect for this conversation."

Lucius nodded at him.

Baxton, always the polite one, held out a hand. "Baxton Duvra. At your service. I'm assuming Giselle pointed you in this direction."

Lucius took the hand. "Yes, she did. Lucius Malfoy. Now, if you don't mind, I would really like to speak with Narcissa."

"Of course. Follow me."

Lucius and Narcissa walked side-by-side behind Baxton. Narcissa stole glances at him, and she caught him doing the same thing with her. Maybe this conversation wouldn't go as bad as she feared it would.


	9. Chapter 9

Narcissa primly sat on the bed while Lucius paced in front of her.

They were both silent, waiting for the other one to speak first.

There was a loud bang on the door. "I don't hear talking," Baxton called.

Lucius glanced at the closed door. "Your friend is very pushy."

Narcissa couldn't refute that fact, so all she said was, "He means well."

"Where should we start?" Lucius asked.

Narcissa's eyes were glacial. "Maybe you can start with why you're here."

"I'm here because I've been was looking for you."

"Why would you bother looking for me?  _You're_ the one that ended our relationship."

"So now it's a relationship? With all of the time we spent sleeping together, you never once referred to it as such."

She realized then that she was doing exactly what Baxton accused her of doing. Being cruel and standoffish to keep Lucius at a distance because she was afraid of being hurt. And that wasn't fair to her ex-lover who probably put in a lot of effort to locate her.

Her shoulders slumped, and her posture became not as rigid. "Why were you so interested in finding me?"

Lucius walked to her and sat down on the bed next to her. "I tried to do my duty. I looked at the available Pure-blood witches that were interested in marrying me. Even the one that was at the top of the list didn't work for me, though."

"Why not?" Narcissa whispered, staring at her hands which were clutching the large folds of her dress.

"Because none of them were you. I continuously compared them to you, and they were always lacking, always missing what I needed to be happy in marriage. The  _only_  thing they had over you was the fact that they were Pure-blood."

Narcissa kept her truth a secret still. "It's your duty to marry a Pure-blood witch. Your father won't stand for a Half-blood as his daughter-in-law."

Lucius cupped her cheek. "Narcissa, you had always been so cold to me. I didn't think you'd care if I ended our  _relationship_. If I had known they you felt absolutely anything for me, I would have fought my father. I didn't have any reason to fight without knowing what you felt."

"We never talked," Narcissa agreed.

"No, we didn't, and maybe that's something we should have done more of. Narcissa, I love you, and I'll love our baby with my whole heart. Come back home with me."

Narcissa felt her spine stiffen once again as bile rushed up to her mouth. She broke away from Lucius and raced to the bathroom, spewing her small lunch into the toilet. When she was sure there was nothing left in her stomach to make an appearance, she stood up on shaky legs.

Lucius was waiting at the doorway with a glass of water. "Baxton brought this. He must have been listening at the door. Not only is he pushy, but he's also nosy. Interesting combination."

Narcissa silently took the water and sipped it, letting the coolness soothe her raw throat. After the liquid settled into her stomach, Narcissa asked the one thing on her mind. "You know I'm pregnant?"

"You father told me."

Narcissa felt angry, but she also felt hurt, sure she had been deceived. "So, everything you just said, was it all a lie? Was it all just to get your hands on  _my_ baby?"

"No," Lucius quickly said. "Yes, news of the baby did push me to find you, but I had already realized you were who I wanted. I just didn't know what to do with it, but I would have eventually started looking for you even if I hadn't known about the baby. Do you honestly think your father would have told me about your pregnancy if he didn't believe my feelings were genuine? Your father didn't like me, so why would he tell me if he thought I didn't care about you?"

Narcissa knew Lucius was right. Edward Clearwater was many things, but Lucius's number one fan wasn't one of them.

Narcissa still had one question. If her dad had told Lucius about the baby, what else did he know? "Is there anything else you know? Anything else that I should know that you know?"

Lucius stared at her. "I know you're adopted, and I know you paid your biological family a visit."

Narcissa averted her gaze. "You know who my biological family is?"

"Narcissa, yes, I do know that you're Pure-blood, but even if you hadn't been, I would have still wanted you. I was told because I was looking for you, and I needed to know where you went. I already loved you. Yes, you being a Black by blood will make it easier because my father won't put up as much of a fight, but it  _will_ still be a fight because your name is still Clearwater, not Black."

Narcissa swallowed. "Druella and Cygnus Black are horrible people."

"They tried to pass one of their other daughters to me as future bride material. From what I remember, Andromeda isn't so bad, but Bellatrix is a complete horror. Who in their right mind would choose to shackle himself to such a witch?"

Narcissa smiled. "Well, Andromeda would never be interested in you. There's gossip that she's planning to run away with a Muggle-born Hufflepuff."

Lucius took her hand. "Did you find out why they gave you away?"

Narcissa bit her bottom lip and fought back the tears. "Yes. It seems I didn't show any kind of accidental magic—I must have been late—but anyways, they thought I was a squib and no Black can be a squib. They didn't understand why anyone would want me, but when my dad said he'd take me, they happily got rid of me as long as he promised he'd never go public about my true parentage."

"Do you know what they did when they found out you did have magic?"

"My dad said they never even tried to get me back. By then, I was only a distant memory." Narcissa shook her head. "How could any parents forget about their child? I'll never understand it."

He pulled her to him for an embrace. "We'll never do that. We'll always love our baby, no matter what he or she does or doesn't do."

Narcissa pressed a kiss to his chest. "I found out that it's a boy."

Lucius closed his eyes. "I should have been there when you found out."

Narcissa looked up at him. "That wasn't your fault; it was mine. Instead of facing you, I ran away like a coward. Everyone told me I should tell you about the baby, but I didn't listen to any of them. Even if you hadn't wanted me, you had a right to know you were going to be a father, and I shouldn't have tried to take that away from you. I'm sorry."

"It's all forgiven, as long as you promise I'll be able to be there for every other big moment in the pregnancy as well as our son's life."

"I promise."

"So, that means you're coming home with me?" Lucius asked hopefully.

Narcissa stood on her toes and kissed him lightly on the corner of his lips, a mere brush that promised more. "I'm coming home," she whispered.

Lucius happily pressed his lips against hers, kissing her with all that he was, showing her without words just how much he missed her.

She responded eagerly.

They fell onto the bed, hands hungry to touch, until another bang on the door startled them apart.

"No sex in my house!" Baxton yelled.

Lucius groaned and buried his nose in her neck. "I really hate him."

Narcissa pouted, squeezing her thighs together in discomfort. "You're not the only one."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is probably only going to be one more chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

Narcissa followed Lucius into Malfoy Manor. "I know your family probably wants to see you, but—" Narcissa put a hand on the back of his shoulder, stopping his words.

"It's okay. I can see them later. Right now, I want to be with you."

Lucius wore a smile when he turned around to look at her. "Those are the best words you've ever said to me."

Narcissa tilted her head and stared at him coyly from underneath her eyelashes. "Are you sure? Because I think I might be about to beat it."

Lucius waited.

She smiled, and her eyes became glued to his chest. "Lucius, I know I hurt you with my actions. Instead of talking to you, I ran away because I was wounded. Yes, my pride was injured, but it was more than that. The idea of you marrying another woman hurt me so much. I hadn't been ready to admit to myself how much I cared about you, but I am now." She paused and stared into his eyes, so he could read the utter seriousness in her gaze. "Lucius, I love you."

He cupped her cheek. "You're right. You've just outdone yourself with your words. Narcissa, I never thought I'd meet someone I would want to marry for love and not status. It isn't the way my family tends to do things, but I'm so grateful I can have you and know it's for the right reasons. I should have said this sooner, and maybe all of the heartache could have been avoided, but I won't make the same mistake twice. Narcissa, I love you."

She giggled. "That's a long explanation for just three little words."

"I'm not the only one with the big explanation, am I? Maybe I just copied you."

She pressed a kiss to his chin. "We belong together."

"Yes, yes, we do," Lucius murmured and leaned down, pressing his lips against hers with such intensity that Narcissa nearly swooned.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his passionate embrace, arching her body against his. Lucius' hands moved to her bottom and pressed her center against his need.

They broke away to gasp for air.

Lucius brushed some of Narcissa's blonde curls away from her face and admired her flushed features. "You're so beautiful."

"Will you still think I'm beautiful when I begin showing?"

Lucius nuzzled his nose against her neck. "I think you'll be even more beautiful." He pressed a kiss against her pulse point, and she whimpered.

She rubbed herself against him. "Take me to bed," she ordered.

"It will be my pleasure."

They almost ran to the bedroom and as soon as they were inside the beautifully furnished room, they fell onto the bed, hands and mouths hungry to touch and taste. And they didn't emerge from the room for hours, not until they were both completely satisfied.

X

They were sitting on the couch. Lucius was leaning back with Narcissa comfortably resting against his chest. His arms were secure around her.

They were in the middle of discussing their plans.

"We need to be married before the baby is born."

"People will know I got pregnant before marriage. Even if we get married this weekend, I'm too far along to explain it away as just an early labor."

"I don't care about that. I just want the baby to be born with my last name." He paused for a moment and thought about her words. "Do you care that people will know?"

"No, no, I mean, I know it's frowned upon to go to bed before marriage, but I enjoy the act, and I've never been ashamed of the part of me that enjoys sex. I'm not going to let people make me feel bad about something I'm not ashamed of. It's just, people might think badly of you for marrying used goods."

He hugged her tighter. "You're not used. Not to me."

"You know the society won't see it that way," Narcissa advised.

"I'm a should I care about what they think?"

Narcissa laughed. "And there's the famous Malfoy arrogance I've come to know and love."

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I'll never get tired of hearing you use the word 'love' when you refer to me."

Narcissa opened her mouth to respond when the Floo flared to life in front of where they lounged, and an angry Abraxas Malfoy stormed out of the fireplace. "So, it's true," he spat at the sight of his only son with Narcissa.

"Josephine told me you were canceling the plans for a courtship with her, but I didn't want to believe you'd pass up a perfectly suitable Pure-blood witch as a wife. And now I find you here with her? I thought I'd made myself clear."

Lucius lightly pushed Narcissa away so he could stand up. "You did make yourself clear, but let me make myself clear. I am marrying Narcissa, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"I am your father and I can disown you from the Malfoy line," Abraxas threatened.

Lucius raised his eyebrows, unimpressed. "Really? I'm your only child. Who else would be your heir?" He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Even if you meant it, I wouldn't change my mind. Not only do I love Narcissa, but she's also pregnant with my child, and I'm not going to abandon her or my son."

"Pregnant with your son, you say?"

Lucius stayed silent. Maybe Abraxas would come around more easily at the thought of having a grandson.

"Well, we can take care of that little problem quite easily with a useful spell I know." Abraxas tapped his wand.

Narcissa covered her stomach and Lucius almost snarled. "You come near either one of them, and Azkaban won't be enough of a threat to stop me!"

"You'll come to your senses," Abraxas said and walked out of the room.

Narcissa stayed seated. "You didn't tell him the truth about my bloodline.

Lucius didn't look away from the spot Abraxas once stood. "There are two reasons for that. Number one, it wouldn't have mattered to him because your last name is still Clearwater."

"And number two?"

He finally faced her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to a standing position. "And number two is it's none of his business."

"Do you think he'll come to accept me?"

Lucius shrugged. "I don't know. Come on." He pulled her to the foyer and the door leading to the outside. "We should go see your family. I'm sure they're anxious to make sure you're okay."

X

"Is this what you imagined it would be like?" Penelope asked.

Narcissa gazed at the mirror, her form-fitting dress doing nothing to hide the swell of her stomach. "Well, I certainly didn't imagine I'd be pregnant on my wedding day, but I could never regret it. I know Lucius is who I belong with."

"I just hope he doesn't hurt you."

Narcissa smiled at her sister even though she didn't tear her gaze away from her reflection. "He won't," she said knowingly.

X

Lucius and Narcissa enjoyed two months as husband and wife before she went into labor. A medi-witch came to the Manor because no Malfoy gave birth in a public hospital. It was almost twenty-four hours of pain and no matter how much magic there was, no one had invented a spell or potion to ease a witch's pair during labor.

When he was finally born and Narcissa looked at the beautiful face, she knew it had been worth it.

Lucius stared at his perfect son, awed.

"What is the name to put on the birth certificate?" the medi-witch asked, breaking the quiet moment."

Lucius and Narcissa shared a look.

Lucius answered, "Draco Lucian Malfoy."

"A perfect name for a perfect boy," Narcissa sleepily said.

Lucius pressed a light hand to her forehead. "Rest, Darling. Draco will still be here when you wake up."

Narcissa happily followed his orders, needing to sleep. For now, her job was done. Her son was born. Also, for now, her family was temporarily complete. Who knew what the future might bring? Maybe a second child. Maybe a third. She didn't know, but that was something to think about another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm done. I hope you enjoyed the light-hearted (somewhat) Lucissa ditty.


End file.
